Community concerns expressed

About 30 members of the community, student body, and administration met Tues. night, Oct. 26, at town hall to discuss the continuing of the joint efforts to curb wild behavior in the neighborhoods nearby campus. 

"The things that they do, certain kids are choosing to destroy our property. There's noise on a Monday night!" lamented one local. From trespassing to having people standing in their driveways at 2 a.m. drinking, residents have become increasingly frustrated this semester. 

This year, according to data handed out by the Plymouth Police, as of Oct., 20 there has already been a 22% increase in alcohol related arrests. "They're on my property. They literally come to my doorstep. They need to be arrested," said a mother of three living in a residential area.

Different ideas were discussed at the meeting to help stop the increasing off campus partying. Owner of Stoppe Properties, Don Stoppe, brought in signs which could be hung around the community on telephones saying "Please: Quiet, Residential Zone." 

The town also seemed pleased with the Yellow Jacket initiative that the university has taken, which has put students and administration on the streets late on nights when they suspect heavy partying to help move people along.

"The problem seems like it's the kids who have no where to go with their big bag packs that are causing all the problems. They come from campus and roam the neighborhoods looking for a party," another local said. 

 One woman said she came out at 2 a.m.  to find two students standing in her driveway. She came out with a camera and began snapping pictures when they became agitated and told her they were 21. She told them she didn't care how old they were, and that they were keeping her up, and that they were trespassing on her property. She said she had no idea where they had come from, and if they had a house to go to, why weren't they hanging out there and not in her driveway.

At an emergency meeting a few weeks ago, residents made temporary signs for their yards to show students that nestled in their neighborhoods were many non-college students as well. 

Unfortunately, many students have been pulling those signs down, and one girl was even arrested after being found strolling down the street with someone's sign in her hand. "I want to keep it positive," said a resident who came up with the signs, when he declined to reveal how many signs had actually been taken down.

Another problem that had been discussed more at the last meeting was the broken bottles and trash littering the neighborhoods. However, when the idea of putting trash barrels in the neighborhoods had come up, people envisioned them as being another opportunity for vandalism. 

Stoppe decided to go to the Plymouth Selectboard and order some heavy wooden trash barrels that could be strapped down and not easily tipped. "Similar to the one in front of Samaha's." he said. Stoppesalso offered to empty them every week at his own expense.

The next C.C.C Meeting (Campus-Community Coalition) will meet in Plymouth Town Hall on Nov. 14, and is open to all.